Door latch actuating mechanism



May 3, 1966 R. J. ROSS DOOR LATCH ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed June 16, 1964 F G. n ,9

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. /5 1L L 2/ 3s 25 INVENTOR v RONALD I Poss ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,249,379 DOOR LATCH ACTUATING MECHANISM Ronald J. Ross, Silver Spring, Md., assignor to Ross- Burnet, Inc., Silver Spring, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed June 16, 1964, Ser. No. 375,485 11 Claims. (Cl. 292-166) This invention relates to new and improved door latch actuating mechanisms which provide more versatile door operation than conventional door knobs, and the like. More particularly, the, invention relates to mechanisms, adapted for mounting on either or both the inside and outside door surfaces in association with conventional door latches, whereby forces toward and away from the door surfaces are efficiently converted to latch retracting forces.

In homes, oflices, commercial buildings, and the like, the most common door latch actuating means has been, and still is the door knob, characterized by its rotary motion for imparting retracting movement to a latch. Another extensively used latch actuating means is the thumb lever type of device with associated handle commonly found on front doors of homes and other heavier type doors.

Both of these conventional type latch actuating devices require the user to have at least one free hand for their practical operation. This leads to many awkward situations when closed doors are approached with soiled hands or both arms laden with packages, and it is inconvenient, difficult, or impossible to lay them down. Indeed, it is likely that most people have at one time or another approached a closed door wishing that they had a third hand to operate the door latch. v

" An object of the present invention is to provide the needed third hand,. not literally, but for all practical purposes as effectively, by providing a door latch actuating mechanism which. can be operated by a knee, an elbow, a single finger, a hip, a wrist, or almost any movable body part.

A further object of the invention is to provide a door latch actuating mechanism embodying a touch plate or operating member which is resiliently supported for twoway pivotal movement, whereby any pushing or pulling force applied thereto imparts latch actuating movement to the mechanism. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide a door latch actuating mechanism having the mode of operation and advantages in use as above mentioned, which is simple and economical to produce, and which can be readily mounted on doors having conventional latch devices in place of existing door knobs, or other actuating devices.

Regarded in certain of its broader aspects, the latch actuating mechanism in accordance with the present invention, which may be used individually on one surface of a door or closure, orin cooperating pairs on opposed surfaces of a door or closure, comprises a mounting member of greater length and width than thickness having means for positioning the same with one face thereof overlying a hole in the door exposing a latch member movable linearly in a path parallel to said face of the mounting member, a movable plunger extending through said mounting member and said face thereof registering with an actuator lever, said actuator lever being pivotally secured to said mounting member on an axis perpendicular to, and spaced from the paths of movement of said latch member and plunger, and a portion of said actuator lever extending into the path of movement of said latch member, whereby movement of said plunger causes the lever to move said latch member, the other face of said mounting member having protruding means forming an enlarged chamber in alignment with said plunger, a pivot lever arranged within said chamber having an outwardly protruding shank in alignment with said plunger and rounded surfaces equally spaced from said shank for movable bearing engagement with inner surfaces of said protruding means, a cam surface on the inner portion of said pivot lever opposed to said shank registering with an enlarged head on said plunger, resilient means between said mounting member and enlarged head normally urging said plunger and pivot lever in outward bearing engagement with said chamber forming means, and a touch plate secured to said shank in a plane essentially parallel to said mounting member with remote edges spaced from said shank a distance substantially greater than the spacing of said rounded surfaces of the pivot lever therefrom.

The pivot lever can be a mushroom-shaped member, in which event, an essentially round touch plate provides for latch actuating operation by forces applied at any position 360 around the pivot lever shank. In most door latch arrangements, however, the latch mechanism extends only 2 /2 to 3 inches from the door edge, and with this close spacing, it is preferable to employ an essentially T-shaped pivot lever and an elongated touch plate, both oriented essentially parallel to the door edge. In such event, latch actuating operation is effected by pushing forces anywhere on the touch plate, and by pulling forces at the ends thereof remote from the pivot lever shank.

Novel features of the present invention will be readily understood from a consideration of the following description, together with the accompanying drawing in which various parts of the mechanism are identified by suitable reference characters, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a broken vertical sectional view through a door showing -a latch actuating mechanism in accordance with the present invention mounted thereon with parts shown in elevation;

FIG. 2 is a broken horizontal sectional view of the device as shown in FIG. 1 with parts shown in elevation;

and

FIG. 3 is a partial broken vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a modified form of construction.

In FIG. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a preferred adaptation of the present invention is shown in association with a door 10 having a circular hole 11 therethrough of the type normally employed for the mounting of conventional door knobs, and the like. The circular hole 11 is spaced from the door edge 12 to receive a conventional latch mechanism 13 with the latch 14 protruding from the door edge 12, and a latch actuating plunger 15 having an enlarged head portion 16 operatively disposed within the hole 11. The inner workings of the latch mechanism 13 provides no part of the present invention, but as diagrammatically shown in the drawing, the latch mechanism 13 is one having conventional internal reversing means, such as a double rack and pinion arrangement, or a simple reversing lever, whereby movement of the plunger and head 15, 16 in the direction of the latch 14 causes retraction of the latch 14 in the direction of the door edge 12.

The new actuating mechanism as shown, comprises similar mounting members 17, 18 having inner peripheral surfaces 19 for hearing against opposed surfaces of the door 10 with circular protruding ribs or extensions 20 interfitting with and facilitating rotation with respect to the hole 11. The mounting members 17, 18 are secured in clamping engagement with the door 10 by means of bolts or other fasteners 21. In the arrangement as shown, with the bolts 21 exposed and accessible at mounting plate 17 but not at mounting plate 18, the plate 17 would preferably be oriented door.

Each of the mounting members 17, 18 are provided within the circular extensions 20 with recesses 22 having spaced protruding lugs 23 supporting, by means of pins 24, actuator levers 25, 26 having interfitting (but not engaged) forked end 27 and fiat end 28 disposed in alignment with the plunger head 16. The actuator levers 25, 26 have bearing shoulders 29 in alignment with a movable plunger 30 passing through aligned bores 31 in the mounting members 17, 18.

In alignment with the bores 31, the mounting memon the inner surface of the bers 17, 18 are provided with protruding frame parts 32 forming an open-sided recess 33 receiving a pivot lever 34 of essentially T-shaped form. The cross head of said pivot lever has rounded bearing ends 35, 35a interfitting with similarly rounded portions of the frame parts 32. The base or shank of the T-shaped pivot lever protrudes outwardly of the frame parts 32, and has means as indicated at 36 for detachably securing an actuating member or touch plate 37 thereto. Centrally of the cross head the pivot lever has a rounded cam portion 38 against which an enlarged head 39 on the plunger 30 is supported by means of a spring 40.

Assembly of the plunger 30, spring 40, and pivot lever 34 is effected through the open sides of the recess 33, and the sides are then closed by means of plates 41 secured by screws or other fasteners 42.

In the modification shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, the pivot lever 34, plunger 30, and spring are mounted within a deep recess 43 in a cast or other pre-formed housing member 44 which is secured to the mounting member 17 or 18 by blind fastening means, such as the screws 45 which are accessible at the inner door engaging face of the mounting members prior to attachment to a door.

Inoperation of the device, it will be recognized that the pivot lever 34 is free to move within-the chamber or recess 33, 43 against the resistance of the spring 40 in any one of three general ways. The movement can be a straight in-and-out movement as when force is applied in the direction of F as shown in FIG. 1. It can be a rocking movement around the bearing end 35 when a.

vof these movements cause inward movement of the plunger 30 in engagement with the bearing shoulder 29 on the associated actuator lever 25 or 26, causing the end 27 or 28 thereof to engage and move the latch operating plunger 15 and retract the latch 14. In this connection, it is apparent that as force on the touch plate 37 is released, it is returned to its original position by means of the spring 40, thereby permitting the actuator lever 25 or 25 to pivot to its original position by the normal spring return action of the latch actuating plunger 15.

The actuator plate 37 can be of any ornamental design or contour, but is preferably at least three times as long as the pivot lever 34, so that very small pushing and pulling forces at the ends of the touch plate are effective to retract the latch 14.

The latch actuating mechanism as above described is extremely versatile in being adapted to different doors and mounted in different positions with respect thereto. Thus for example, in FIG. 1, the mechanism will function essentially in the same way if it is rotated 180 to reverse position of mounting members 17 and 18, permitting assemblage of the mechanism with the bolts 21 accessible at whichever side of the door is the inside.

It should also be noted that some conventional latch mechanisms have, in place of the actuating plunger 15, a yoke member which moves in the same direction as the latch 14. In such event, having reference to FIG. 2 of scribed in terms of a cooperating pair mounted on opposed surfaces of a door, it will be understood that for some applications, a single mounting member and its associated parts will sufiice, as for example, when used on 'a closet or cabinet door.

It should also be understood that there are many types of latch mechanisms on the market, and while the genreal shape of actuator lever 25,26 shown in the drawing will function properly with many conventional latch mechanisms, it is within the scope of the present invention to provide especially shaped actuator levers to adapt the device to use with other latch mechanisms.

The touch plate 37 is, of course, a detachable and interchangeable item, and can be varied in ornamental design and material of construction in the same manner that conventional door knobs are selected to providethe desired appearance and decorative effect at the place of installation.

Various changes and modifications in the door latch actuating mechanism herein described will occur to those skilled in the art, and to the extent that such changes and modifications are embraced by the appended claims, it is to be understood that they constitute part of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A door latch actuating mechanism comprising a mounting member of greater length and width than thickness having meansfor positioning the same with one face thereof overlying a hole in a door exposing a latch member movable linearly in a path parallel to said face of the mounting member, a movable plunger extending through said mounting member and said face thereof registering with an actuator lever, said actuator lever being pivotally secured to said mounting member on an axis perpendicular to and spaced from the paths of movement of said latch member and plunger, and a portion of said actuator lever extending into the path of movement of said latch member whereby movement of said plunger causes the lever to move said latch member, the other face of said mounting member having protruding means forming an enlarged chamber in alignment with said plunger, a pivot lever arranged within said chamber having an outwardly protruding shank in alignment with said plunger and rounded surfaces equally spaced from said shank formovable bearing engagement with inner surfaces of said protruding means, a cam surface on the inner portion of said pivot lever opposed to said shank registering with an enlarged head on said plunger, resilient means between said mounting member and enlarged head normally urging said plunger and pivot lever in outward hearing engagement with said chamber forming means, and a touch plate secured to said shank in a plane extending parallel to said mounting member with remote edges spaced from said shank a distance substantially greater than the spacing of said rounded surfaces of the pivot lever therefrom.

2. A latch actuating mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the pivot lever is of essentially T-shaped contour with the cross head thereof disposed within said chamber, and the touch plate secured to the shank thereof is elongated in a direction parallel to the cross head thereof and is at least three times as long as said cross head.

3. A latch actuating mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the mechanism is associated with a second such mechanism in a cooperating pair, and the portions of the actuator levers thereof which extend into the path of movement of said latch member being shaped to provide a non-engaging, interfitting association therebetween.

4-. A latch actuating mechanism as defined in claim 3, wherein one actuator lever has a forked end and the other actuator lever has a straight end interfitting with said forked end.

5. A latch actuating mechanism as defined in claim 3, wherein the mounting members of the cooperating mechanisms are secured together in association with a door by fasteners having exposed engagement with one mounting member and concealed engagement with the other mounting member.

6. A latch actuating mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the protruding means forming an enlarged chamber in alignment with said plunger comprises a pair of integral extensions on said mounting member forming the pivot lever engaging walls of said chamber, and detachable plates secured to said extensions providing opposed sides of said chamber.

7. A latch actuating mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the protruding means forming an enlarged chamber in alignment with said plunger comprises a preformed deep cavity casing for receiving said pivot lever and plunger, said casing being secured to the mounting member by fastener elements accessible at the first named face of said mounting member.

8. A latch actuating mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator lever is pivotally mounted on lugs protruding from a recessed portion of the first named face of said mounting member.

9. A latch actuating mechanism comprising a pair of essentially similar assemblages adapted for mounting on opposed surfaces of a door in registry with a hole through said door into which a movable latch member extends, each such assemblage comprising a mounting member having an essentially flat peripheral surface for bearing engagement with said door, means protruding from said surface for positioning engagement with the hole in said door, the portion within said protruding means being recessed and having protruding lugs providing a pivotal support for one end of an essentially L-shaped actuator lever, the other end thereof having an enlargement for bearing and sliding engagement with said movable latch member, and a bearing shoulder at the angle of said actuator lever in alignment with said enlarged end, a movable plunger extending through said mounting member having an inner end registering with said bearing shoulder and an enlarged outer end disposed in a chamber protruding outwardly from said mounting member, a

compression spring between said mounting member and enlarged outer end, said outwardly protruding chamber being vertically elongated as mounted on a door, an essentially T-shaped pivot lever having a cross head disposed within said chamber and a shank protruding outwardly thereof perpendicularly to the mounting member, the center of said cross-head, in alignment with said shank, having a cam surface in registering engagement with said plunger head, the ends of said cross-head having smoothly rounded contours interfitting with half rounded contours in the Walls of said chamber whereby said pivot lever can move bodily toward said mounting member and can also pivot toward said mounting member around either end of said cross-head, a touch plate secured to the shank of said pivot lever, said touch pla'te being parallel to and longer than the cross-head of said pivot lever, and said compression spring normally urging said plunger, pivot lever and touch plate outwardly from said mounting member, while yielding to forces applied to the touch plate.

10. In a latch actuating mechanism in which linear movement of a plunger through a mounting plate is converted to linear movement of a latch disposed perpendicularly to said plunger by means of a lever having a pivot spaced from said plunger and latch and perpendicular to the common plane thereof, the improvement that comprises a touch plate in spaced relation to said mounting plate in alignment with said plunger, and relatively moveable connecting means operatively interposed between said plates, said last named means comprising a T-shaped pivot lever secured through its shank portion to one of said plates, and chamber forming means, recessed to receive the cross-head of said T-shaped pivot lever with the shank portion thereof protruding, secured to the other of said plates, and resilient means supporting said plunger in contact with the one of said connecting means attached to said touch plate, whereby rocking and linear movements of said touch plate cause linear movement of said plunger.

11. An improved latch actuating mechanism as defined in claim 10, wherein said T-shaped pivot lever is attached to said touch plate'and said chamber forming means is attached to said mounting plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 224,040 2/1880 Prouty 292-l66 1,479,602 1/1924 Hayer 292166 1,805,997 5/1931 Rhiner 292l 2,243,772 5/1941 Peltier 292221 X 2,369,056 2/1945 Langdon et al. 74-512 2,741,502 4/1956 Crandell 292336.3 X 2,832,940 2/ 1958 Squire 292-92 FOREIGN PATENTS 593,528 10/1947 Great Britain.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

R. E. MOORE, Assistant Examiner. 

10. IN A LATCH ACTUATING MECHANISM IN WHICH LINEAR MOVEMENT OF A PLUNGER THROUGH A MOUNTING PLATE IS CONVERTED TO LINEAR MOVEMENT OF A LATCH DISPOSED PERPENDICULARLY TO SAID PLUNGER BY MEANS OF A LEVER HAVING A PIVOT SPACED FROM SAID PLUNGER AND LATCH PERPENDICUALR TO THE COMMON PLANE THEREOF, THE IMPROVEMENT THAT COMPRISES A TOUCH PLATE IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID MOUNTING PLATE IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID PLUNGER, AND RELATIVELY MOVEABLE CONNECTING MEANS OPERATIVELY INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID PLATES, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A T-SHAPED PIVOT LEVER SECURED THROUGH ITS SHANK PORTION TO ONE OF SAID PLATES, AND CHAMBER FORMING MEANS, RECESSED TO RECEIVE THE CROSS-HEAD OF SAID T-SHAPED PIVOT LEVER WITH THE SHANK PORTION THEREOF PROTRUDING, SECURED TO THE OTHER OF SAID PLATES, AND RESILIENT MEANS SUPPORTING SAID PLUNGER IN CONTACT WITH THE ONE OF SAID CONNECTING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID TOUCH PLATE, WHEREBY ROCKING AND LINEAR MOVEMENTS OF SAID TOUCH PLATE CAUSE LINEAR MOVEMENT OF SAID PLUNGER. 